


A Light in the Darkness

by Fenchurch87



Series: The Way of the Warden [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Crushes, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 21:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20919254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenchurch87/pseuds/Fenchurch87
Summary: Solona Amell and Alistair grow closer following the mages' recruitment. Originally written in response to a writing prompt on /r/dragonage.





	A Light in the Darkness

Alistair sat up with a sigh, abandoning his attempt at sleep once and for all. His body was exhausted after the day's events; he should have been dead to the world hours ago. But it seemed his mind had other ideas.

He reached into his pocket and found the rose he had placed there that morning. He had hoped to give it to Solona today, once they had secured the mages' allegiance against the Blight and persuaded them to help cure Connor of possession, but it didn't seem appropriate anymore. Nothing seemed appropriate anymore.

Solona had barely spoken a word since they'd left the tower. She had spent much of the trip across the lake staring vacantly ahead, and had retired to her tent as soon as they made camp, politely but firmly rebuffing Wynne's entreaties to come out and eat some dinner. Alistair wasn't sure what to do. He felt he should say something, but whenever he opened his mouth the words seemed to stick in his throat. Perhaps it was for the best. He wasn't very good at comforting people. He would probably make everything worse.

The soft _swish_ of fabric parting reached his ears, followed by light footsteps. He lifted his own tent flap and peered out into the darkness. Once his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he could make out Solona's outline walking towards the fire and sitting down on a log. Ivan immediately left his sleeping spot to come and lie at her feet, and she stroked the mabari's head absently.

Alistair was crawling out of his tent before he realised what he was doing. He had no idea what he would say when he reached her, but he knew he had to do something. Solona needed somebody, and at the moment he was all she had.

“Can't sleep either?” he asked, keeping his voice light but immediately wondering if that had been the wrong choice. What if she thought he was being flippant?

Fortunately, Solona didn't seem to take offence, simply shaking her head and patting the log beside her. “No,” she said as he sat down. “I can't stop thinking about what happened in the tower. About all the people who died. I failed them, Alistair. It was my decision to go to Redcliffe first. If we'd gone to the Circle instead, maybe we could have stopped it before it even began.”

“You didn't fail them,” he protested. “You saved as many people as you could. And you heard what the First Enchanter said. It started as soon as Uldred returned from Ostagar. We would never have got there in time to stop it happening.”

“Perhaps not,” Solona conceded. “But fewer people would have been turned. We wouldn't have had to kill so many.”

“You don't know that for sure,” he countered. “And what about Redcliffe? The undead could have destroyed the whole village by now if we hadn't been there to stop them.”

“I... suppose,” Solona replied doubtfully.

“I'm sorry about what happened in the tower,” Alistair continued. “And I'm sorry I've left all the leading to you, I know it can't be easy. But you're doing a far better job than I ever could. And I'm– I'm proud to follow you. I just want you to know that.”

Solona ducked her head, an instinctive reaction to hide the blush that was almost certainly creeping across her cheeks, but Alistair thought he could see the faint beginnings of a smile. “Thank you,” she murmured into the ground.

Alistair's fingers brushed the rose again. Could he? Should he? _Yes_, he decided. Things seemed to be going well, and he didn't know if there would ever be a better moment. He took the rose out of his pocket and held it up in the firelight. “Here,” he began, “look at this. Do you know what this is?”

“It's... a rose.” Solona tilted her head to the side and looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes.

“Right. Yes. Of course you know what it is. Good.” Alistair cursed himself for that terrible opening line. He cleared his throat and began again. “I picked it in Lothering. I remember thinking, _How could something so beautiful exist in a place with so much despair and ugliness?_ I probably should have left it alone, but I couldn't. The darkspawn would come and their taint would just destroy it. So I've had it ever since.”

“That's a nice sentiment.” Solona smiled, and warmth flooded his insides. How was she so beautiful? And what was she doing here, talking to him of all people? Perhaps the Maker was smiling on him for once.

“I–I thought that I might... give it to you, actually.”

“Me?” Solona's eyes widened. “What for?”

“Because in a lot of ways, I think the same thing when I look at you. I was just thinking... here I am doing all this complaining, and you haven't exactly been having a good time of it yourself. You've had none of the good experience of being a Grey Warden since your Joining, not a word of thanks or congratulations. It's all been death and fighting and tragedy. I thought maybe I could say something. Tell you what a rare and wonderful thing you are to find amidst all this... darkness.” He paused and held out the rose. “Here.”

Solona slowly reached out to take the flower, her hand gently brushing against his as it closed around the stem, her touch sending a jolt of electricity through his fingertips.

“Thank you, Alistair.” Her big dark eyes held his gaze. “I feel the same way about you.”

Now it was his turn to blush. “I– Uh– Thank you.” He gestured awkwardly at the rose. “Do you like it?”

“Of course I do. It was a lovely thought.” Solona suddenly raised her hand to cover a yawn. “Well, I guess we should try to get some sleep. We've got another early start tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Alistair stood up reluctantly. “See you in the morning, then?”

“Yes. Goodnight, Alistair.”

“Goodnight.” He watched her disappear into her tent before walking back across the grass to his own. He fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down on his bedroll, a grin on his face and a spark of joy in his heart.


End file.
